Apparatus for charging shaft furnaces



Nov. 30, 1965 E. BOTHMER ETAL 3,220,557

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING SHAFT FURNACES Filed May 8, 1962 United States Patent 3,220,567 APPARATUS FOR CHARGING SHAFT FURNACES Erich Bothrner, Lorrach, Baden, and Max Zimmer, Haltizzgen, Baden, Germany; Charlotte Bothmer, born Hempe, sole heiress of said Erich Bothmer, deceased, assignors to Lonza-Werke Elektrochemisclie Fabriken G.m.b.H., Baden, Germany Filed May 8, 1962, Ser. No. 193,116 Claims priority, application Switzerland, May 12, 1961,

5,558/61 4 Claims. (Cl. 214-2) The present invention relates to an apparatus for charging shaft furnaces and more particularly to an apparatus for charging a fuel material and a base product material, each of two different granular sizes, into circular concentric zones of a shaft furnace.

The apparatus according to the invention comprises at least one weighing scale, a first bunker having a number of compartments corresponding to a like number of zones for the furnace charge and adapted to receive the fuel material to be apportioned by means of a scale, a second bunker having also a number of compartments corresponding to these zones and receiving the base product material to be apportioned by means of a scale, and conveyor means for moving simultaneously the two materials from each compartment to the corresponding zone. In this apparatus the position of the zones relative to the position of the bunkers and conveyor means is variable by carrying out a rotation around the axis of the zones.

According to the invention, predetermined quantities of material of both types based on the quantity assigned to each individual zone are weighed in periodically repeated sequence by means of the scale, are thereafter-charged into the particular compartment or cell of the bunker pertaining to the individual zones, and finally the content of the compartments is discharged simultaneously by the conveyor means, and with the aforementioned rotating movement, is distributed into the individual zones.

In this manner it is possible to obtain a uniform buming of the materials, to use less fuel material and to control the burning process in such a manner that a uniform end product, which burns with a predetermined intensity, is obtained.

Two embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention for charging a limestone furnace with coke as the fuel material and limestone as the base product material are described hereafter for the purpose of examples only, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 shows a side view of an apparatus according to the invention mounted at the furnace entrance and suitable for a direct charging of the material into the furnace shaft.

Referring now particularly to the figure of the drawing, it will be observed that corresponding parts illustrated in the various figures will be identified by the same reference numerals.

With particular reference to FIG. 1 which illustrates an apparatus for the direct charging of a limestone furnace with coke and limestone, it will be noted that this apparatus comprises four storage tanks or silos, each two of which are associated with one bucket scale. Conveyor means of suitable construction and arrangement, for example conveyor chutes operating by gravity feed, vibrating or reciprocating conveyors connect the silos to their respective bucket scale. Thus for example conveyor devices 112 and 122 connect the silos 11 and 12 to the bucket scale 3 while the conveyor devices 212 and 222 connect the silos 21 and 22 to the bucket scale 4. Each bucket scale is in turn connected by means of a suitable conveyor device to one bunker, and as illustrated in the drawing, bucket scale 3 is connected over conveyor device 35 to bunker 5 while bucket'scale 4 is connected over conveyor device 46 to bunker 6. Following the downward movement of the fuel material it will be observed that each of the bunkers 5 and 6 is connected by means of suitable conveyor devices to the concentric zones of the furnace entrance 2 of furnace shaft 1. Thus, for example, as illustrated in the drawing, bunker 5 is connected by conveyor devices 7 through 7 to corresponding radial zones of the furnace entrance while bunker 6 is connected over conveyor devices 8 to 8 to corresponding radial zones of the furnace entrance. It will be observed that in this manner each cell has associated therewith a circular zone of the cross-section of the furnace entrance. These zones are shown in FIG. 1 in a diametrical section of the furnace entrance by means of dotted lines and designated with reference numerals I through V. Each of the conveyor devices 7 through 7 and 8 through 8 is preferably a vibratory conveyor and leads from one of the plurality of cells into its assigned zone Where it discharges over the entire width of this particular zone. The conveyor devices 35 and 46 are also preferably vibratory conveyors.

The bunkers 5 and 6 together with the vibratory conveyors 7 through 7 and 8 through 8 are mounted for rotation around the geometrical axis of the furnace. The bunkers are drivingly connected to suitable driving means of conventional form, and are therefore not illustrated in the drawing.

As mentioned above, the conveyor means 112 and 122 lead from the silos 11 and 12 to the fuel material entrance of the scale bucket 31 of scale 3. From the fuel material outlet of scale bucket 31 the vibratory conveyor 35 conducts the material to bunker 5. In this arrangement the scale bucket 31 and the vibratory conveyor 35 are slidable or displaceable in such a manner that the scale bucket 31 may be charged in the same position from the bunkers '11 and 12 and so that it may also be discharged from one other position into the cells 5; through 5 when the bunker 5 is located in a predetermined position. In a corresponding manner the conveyor devices 212 and 222 connect silos 21 and 22 to the entrance of scale bucket 41 of scale 4 and the vibratory conveyor 46 leads from the outlet of the bucket 41 to bunker 6; and again bucket 41 together with the vibratory conveyor 46 are movable in such a manner that the bucket may be loaded in one and the same position from bunkers 21 and 22 and may be discharged in one other position into one of the cells 6 through 6 when bunker 6 has moved into a predetermined position. In this arrangement the loading position of the scale buckets 31 or 41 may coincide with one of the discharge positions. In order to charge each of the zones I through V with coke and limestone of predetermined quantity and granular size employing the apparatus of this invention, the silos 11 and 12 each contain coke and the silos 21 and 22 each contain limestone of different granular sizes.

The scale bucket 31 is filled from silo 11 with the total weight quantity of coke of one size for a particular layer to be deposited and this amount is distributed in the predetermined proportion to the cells of the bunker 5 which are assigned to the zones which are to receive the coke of this particular size. This distribution takes place in that the scale bucket 31 together with the vibratory conveyor 35 is moved from cell to cell and discharges in each instance the amount of coke which has been apportioned to this particular cell. In the same manner coke of the other granular size is withdrawn from silo 12, is weighed by means of scale 3 and is distributed according to weight to the individual cells of bunker 5 which are assigTed to the zones which are to receive coke of this particular weight and size. In a corresponding manner limestone is withdrawn from silos 21 and 22, is weighed by means of scale 4 and is distributed to the cells of bunker 6 according to the predetermined weight and size. Subsequently the vibratory conveyors 7 and 8 are rotated. In this operation the conveying speed of the vibratory conveyors is set in such a waythat the content of all the cells 5 through 5 and 6 through 6 is conveyed at the same time and the speed of rotation of bunkers 5 and 6 is so adjusted that during this time several rotations Will occur. In this manner the predetermined amounts of coke and limestone assigned to each zone are mixed together uniformly and are also distributed in a uniform manner over the particular zone.

When the limestone furnace burns unsymmetrically, for example, due to the one-sided effect of weather conditions, e.g., wind and rain, the burning or combustion may be made symmetrical in that the conveying speed of the vibratory conveyors 7 through 7 and 8 through 8 is increased in each instance where these conveying devices travel over the sector of the furnace cross-section to which more coke or limestone must be added for the purpose of making the burning process symmetrical again. Closure means on the compartments are seen at through 15 and 16 through 16 What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for charging granular material into a furnace shaft comprising:

(a) a first storage means for storing a first granular material,

(b) a first scale for weighing said first granular material,

(c) a second storage means for storing a second granular material,

(d) a second scale for weighing said second granular material,

(e) a first conveyor for moving said first granular material from said first storage means to said first scale,

(f) a second conveyor for moving said second granular material from said second storage means to said second scale,

(g) a first bunker mounted adjacent said first scale,

said first bunker having a plurality of material compartments,

(h) means for discharging said first granular material after weighing from said first scale into said first bunker material compartments,

(i) a second bunker mounted adjacent said second scale, said second bunker having a plurality of material compartments,

(j) means for discharging said second granular material after weighing from said second scale into said second bunker material compartments,

(k) said first and second bunker material compartments having closure therein,

(1) said first and second bunkers being rotatably mounted adjacent each other and on opposite sides of the vertical axis of said furnace shaft,

(m) guide means for said scales, said guide means being substantially horizontal and conforming to the diameter of said furnace shaft and intersecting said vertical axis.

(11) said scales mounted on said guide means and being movable relative to said bunkers.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a third conveyor means for receiving material from said first bunker and a fourth conveyor means for receiving material from said second bunker.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the discharge speed of said third and fourth conveyors is variable.

4. .An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further including a third storage means connected to said first scale and a fourth storage means connected to said second scale.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 781,150 1/1905 Lindquist 214-2 X 836,888 11/1906 Parker.

926,143 6/1909 Shackleford 21437 X 955,615 4/1910 Stone. 1,806,623 5/1931 Gleason 21437 1,837,685 12/1931 Smith 2142 1,927,518 9/1933 Grilli 214-2 2,211,957 8/ 1940 MacMichael 214-152 2,654,594 10/ 1953 Somogyi. 2,885,100 5/1959 Payne 214-152 3,077,274 2/1963 Kitzrow 214-35 GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

MORRIS TEMIN, HUGO O. SCHULZ, Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,220,567 November 30, 1965 Erich Bothmer et a1.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

In the grant, line 5, and in the heading to the printed specification, line 8, for "Baden, Germany", each occurrence, read Weil am Rhein, Baden, Germany Signed and sealed this 17th day of January 1967.

Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting ()fficer Commissioner of Patents EDWARD J. BRENNER 

1. APPARATUS FOR CHARGING GRANULAR MATERIAL INTO A FURNACE SHAFT COMPRISINGH: (A) FIRST STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING A FIRST GRANULAR MATERIAL, (B) A FIRST SCALLE FOR WEIGHING SAID FIRST GRANULAR MATERIAL, (C) A SECOND STORAGE MEANS FOR STORING A SECOND GRANULAR MATERIAL, (D) A SECOND SCALE FOR WEIGHING SAID SECOND GRANULAR MATERIAL, (E) A FIRST CONVEYOR FOR MOVING SAID FIRST GRANULAR MATERIAL FROM SAID FIRST MEANS TO SAID FIRST SCALE, (F) A SECOND CONVEYOR FOR MOVING SAID SECOND GRANULAR MATERIAL FROM SAID SECOND STORAGE MEANS TO SAID SECOND SCALE, (G) A FIRST BUNKER MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID FIRST SCALE, SAID FIRST BUNKER HAVING A PLURALITY OF MATERIAL COMPARTMENTS, (H) MEANS FOR DISCHARGING SAID FIRST GRANULAR MATERIAL AFTER WEIGHING FROM SAID FIRST SCALLE INTO SAID FIRST BUNKER MATERIAL COMPARTMENTS, (I) A SECOND BUNKER MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID SECOND SCALE, SAID SECOND BUNKER HAVING A PLURALITY OF MATERIAL COMPARTMENTS, (J) MEANS FOR DISCHARGING SAID SECOND GRANULLAR MATERIAL AFTER WEIGHING FROM SAID SECOND SCALE INTO SAID SECOND BUNKER MATERIAL COMPARTMENTS, (K) SAID FIRST AND SECOND BUNKER MATERIAL COMPARTMENTS HAVING CLOSURE THEREIN, (L) SAID FIRST AND SECOND BUNKERS BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED ADJACENT EACH AOTHER AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE VERTICAL AXIS OF SAID FURNACE SHAFT, (M) GUIDE MEANS FOR SAID SCALLES, SAID GUIDE MEANS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AND CONFORMING TO THE DIAMETER OF SAID FURNACE SHAFT AND INTERSECTING SAID VERTICALL AXIS, (N) SAID SCALES MOUNTED ON SAID GUIDE MEANS AND BEING MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID BUNKERS. 